AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn isn't any closer to naming its starting quarterback for the opener than it was when preseason camp began Aug. 1.

That's set to change soon enough.

"Talking to Coach (Gus Malzahn)) I think probably here in the next couple of days we’ll go ahead and decide how we want to handle that," offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said Sunday following the Tigers' final practice of fall camp. "We have not made a decision yet. Both those guys have repped and had a good fall camp. So I think probably pretty soon, at least internally, we’ll know how we’re going to handle it and then coach will address that when he’s ready and we’ll have a good plan."

Malzahn has already announced that Nick Marshall, who led Auburn to a 12-2 record and an SEC title last season, will not start against Arkansas as part of his punishment for a marijuana citation the quarterback received in July. At the same time, both Malzahn and Lashlee have said they have not spoken to Jeremy Johnson about standing in as Marshall's replacement.

Johnson also acknowledged that he's yet to hear a single word about being in the lineup versus the Razorbacks.

"I'm getting reps with both orange and blue — first team and second team," the sophomore signal-caller said Saturday. "If I'm called upon to start the first game, I'll be ready."

While the coaching staff may still be discussing it, Marshall seemed to imply Johnson will take the field with the first-team offense Aug. 30.

"I see Jeremy coming out there and practicing good every day," Marshall said Aug. 10. "He's leading the team just like he's going to be the starter, and I'm just behind him 100 percent."

In Malzahn's most recent meeting with the media — which occurred following Saturday's practice in Jordan-Hare Stadium — he said he would "have a little more clarity" on the quarterback situation in the coming days.

"I will say this: Nick's had an outstanding fall camp with his attitude, with his maturity and everything that goes with it," the coach said.

War Eagle Extra

Mike Niziolek joins the Ledger-Enquirer after spending the past three years with MLive.com. The past year he covered Eastern Michigan University athletics, including football and recruiting. He also filled in as a backup writer for the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings and University of Michigan. Mike is a 2004 graduate of Michigan State.